Harry Morgan’s death is an inevitable tragedy coming up in Dexter: Original Sin, but the show has to be strategic about depicting the truth of his demise and when it exactly will occur within the prequel’s timeline. Ultimately, the idea that Christian Slater’s Harry Morgan will die in Dexter: Original Sin should come as no surprise. Harry was already long dead when Dexter’s main series began, and the titular character’s voiceover in the prequel’s premiere even gave an estimate for when Harry’s death would occur within Dexter: Original Sin’s timeline.

As a prequel, some of the biggest twists and tragedies that will happen in Original Sin will already be known due to their revelations in Dexter. However, seeing them unfold in real time rather than simply through flashbacks, Dexter’s voiceover narration, or uncovered video footage will change the emotional weight and impact of these developments. Considering Deb and Dexter were lied to about how Harry really died for over two decades, the way in which Original Sin handles his fate has an even greater significance for the franchise’s overall canon, especially with its aftermath.

Harry Morgan Dies By Suicide After Seeing Dexter Dismember One Of His Victims

The Truth Behind Harry’s Tragic Death Was Revealed In Dexter Season 2

In Dexter season 2, it was finally revealed how exactly Dexter and Debra’s father Harry Morgan died. Throughout that season, Dexter began finding out more about his adoptive father’s past that was kept hidden from himself and Deb, which included the circumstances of his death and the fact that Harry and Dexter’s biological mother, Laura Moser, were having an affair before her death. Eventually, he learned that Harry had died by suicide, but that his cause of death had been covered up by his friend and colleague Thomas Matthews as being due to heart disease.

The truth about Harry’s death is revealed in Dexter season 2, episode 10, “There’s Something About Harry.”

In reality, Harry died by suicide when he overdosed on his heart medication, which occurred just three days after he walked in on Dexter dismembering his victim Juan Ryness. The context of Harry Morgan’s suicide is largely understood through his guilt over turning Dexter into a serial killer, essentially being a “monster” of his own making. Harry couldn’t live with the fact that he taught Dexter to be a killer, betrayed his own morality and scruples as a police officer by hiding these kills, and ultimately felt that he had failed his children.

While Dexter’s Captain Thomas Matthews confesses to the titular character the truth about Harry dying by suicide in the main series, it’s still unclear how the exact circumstances of his death will unfold in Original Sin. Matthews hasn’t even been introduced in Dexter: Original Sin yet, so it’s possible that Harry’s death will depart from how it was later described in Dexter season 2. Regardless of whether the lead-up to his tragic demise is changed, it’s devastating that Dexter and Deb won’t be aware of the truth about Harry’s death all throughout Original Sin’s events.

Why Dexter & Debra Thought Harry Died Of Heart Disease For So Many Years

Dexter & Deb Were Lied To After Harry Died

Image via Paramount+

The main series reveals that Dexter and Deb were originally told that Harry died from heart disease. Harry’s struggles with heart disease had become more severe in the year leading up to his death, which included the heart attack that put Harry in the hospital in Dexter: Original Sin season 1, episode 1. He was on heart medication and Deb became strict about the type of food they had around the house so that she could try to keep Harry healthy.

Harry and Matthews were extremely close, and they thought that they were protecting Dexter and Debra from further anguish, anger, and emotional distress by lying about his death.

Therefore, when Harry died a year after his heart attack due to “heart disease,” it wasn’t something that young Dexter and Deb would have thought of questioning. It was also something Harry himself knew Dexter and Deb wouldn’t question, and would be easier for them to stomach than knowing that their father had ended his own life. Harry didn’t want his kids feeling guilty about his death or questioning whether they were responsible for it; he wanted them to make each other better, as Harry thought that he, himself, was the one responsible for ruining or corrupting his kids.

Plus, Harry had sent Thomas Matthews, one of his closest confidantes, a note that he planned to kill himself and wanted him to look after Dexter and Debra. Harry and Matthews were extremely close, and they thought that they were protecting Dexter and Debra from further anguish, anger, and emotional distress by lying about his death. Both Harry and Matthews thought that if they could protect Harry’s image as the loving father and policeman holding together their family, then Dexter and Debra could take that memory, hold each other closer, and guide each other better than he thought he could.

Harry Morgan Will Likely Die In Dexter: Original Sin’s Season 1 Finale

Dexter Revealed That Harry Dies Shortly After His Fourth Kill

The original Dexter series revealed that Harry died when Dexter was about 20 years old, with Deb still being a teenager. However, Dexter is already 20 years old when Original Sin begins, and Michael C. Hall’s voiceover narration indicates that Harry dies about a year later. The original show also explained that Harry died just three days after Dexter killed Juan Ryness, who was revealed to be just his fourth victim. Since Levi Reed just became Dexter’s third kill in Original Sin season 1, episode 6, there should only be a short amount of time remaining before Harry dies.

Ultimately, it seems that the prequel is setting up Harry’s death to occur in Dexter: Original Sin’s season 1 finale. Not only would Harry’s tragic death by suicide make for a major twist, change to the show’s dynamics, and blow to Dexter and Deb’s entire world as they know it, but ending on that would give Dexter: Original Sin season 2 plenty of ground to build on with the fallout of Harry’s death, Dexter implementing the Code without him, and his bond with Deb growing stronger.

Dexter: Original Sin Season 1 Remaining Episodes Schedule

Episode #
Streaming Release Date

7
January 24, 2025

8
January 31, 2025

9
February 7, 2025

10
February 14, 2025

Not to mention, the season 1 finale’s title is “Code Blues,” referring to the hospital emergency code associated with cardiac arrest. While Harry doesn’t actually die from heart failure, that’s how he and an associate, presumably still Matthews, will cover up his death, making it a fitting title. Of course, if Harry does die in Dexter: Original Sin season 1’s ending, that shouldn’t be the end of Christian Slater’s time on the show. Since James Remar’s Harry frequently appeared to adult Dexter in hallucinations, Slater’s Harry will likely also appear to Patrick Gibson’s Dexter after his death.